Tuesday afternoon, two Republican senators from Texas laid into a fellow Texan for calling out San Antonio donors who gave the maximum amount to President Donald Trump's campaign.
Joaquin Castro, a Democratic representative from San Antonio, said some prominent business owners and individuals in his district were "fueling a campaign of hate" that labeled immigrants as "invaders."
"Sad to see so many San Antonians as 2019 maximum donors to Donald Trump — the owner of @BillMillerBarBQ, owner of the @HistoricPearl, realtor Phyllis Browning, etc.," Castro tweeted Monday. "Their contributions are fueling a campaign of hate that labels Hispanic immigrants as 'invaders.'"
Castro posted an image of the 44 donors who have donated the maximum amount of $2,800 to a candidate per election cycle. Though the information is public record, Castro's tweet proved controversial, first in the news media and then from the two senators.
Tuesday, Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn sniped back.
"EVERYONE needs to tone the hateful partisan rhetoric way down. This is WRONG & Castro should retract it. In our constitutional Republic, the People rightly hold their representatives accountable; elected representatives should not be vilifying & doxxing their own constituents," Cruz tweeted.
EVERYONE needs to tone the hateful partisan rhetoric way down. This is WRONG & Castro should retract it. In our constitutional Republic, the People rightly hold their representatives accountable; elected representatives should not be vilifying & doxxing their own constituents. https://t.co/rrgQbK7PLU
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 6, 2019
Cornyn said Castro's tweet was "grossly inappropriate" and was part of a "win-at-all-costs mentality."
"This is grossly inappropriate, especially in the wake of recent tragic shootings. This win-at-all-costs mentality, publicly targeting an opponent's supporters, and encouraging retaliation is dangerous and not what Texans have a right to expect from their members of Congress," Cornyn wrote.
This is grossly inappropriate, especially in the wake of recent tragic shootings. This win-at-all-costs mentality, publicly targeting an opponent’s supporters, and encouraging retaliation is dangerous and not what Texans have a right to expect from their members of Congress. https://t.co/Ecw4mszp4Y
— Senator John Cornyn (@JohnCornyn) August 6, 2019
Castro's tweet comes just two days after a 21-year-old white man allegedly drove more than 600 miles from north of Dallas to El Paso and killed 22 people at a Walmart with a semi-automatic rifle. The shooter had previously posted he was against "the Hispanic invasion of Texas." El Paso has a large Hispanic population.
Castro's tweet also comes as President Trump gets set to visit El Paso in the aftermath of the massacre. The congressman also posted a Facebook message Tuesday saying the alleged shooter's rhetoric mirrored that of the president.
"President Trump cannot play the blame game," Joaquin Castro wrote. "The El Paso terrorist manifesto included language that is eerily similar to the language the President has used to dehumanize and demonize Hispanic immigrants in this country. That violence just spilled over."
Castro, 44, is in his fourth term in Congress and is the identical twin of 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Julian Castro. Joaquin is also the campaign chairman for Julian's presidential campaign team.
